Bearing lubrication



Dec. 4, 1934. A. o. WALTER BEARING LUBRIGA'I'ION Filed Feb. 5. 1932 I H x P v w I H W JHHWHW r W M% M WN\\\\\\\\ f k E Patented Dec. 4, I934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEARING LUBRICATION Allen D. Walter, East Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Ohio Electric Mfg. Co., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 5, 1932, Serial No. 591,090

4 Claims. (Cl. 308-168) This invention relates to an electric motor of formed in the member H and a part 15 formed the type in which the armature shaft extends in the portion D and communicating with the vertically. The principal object of the invention oil reservoir B. The shaft F may be shortened is to provide a simple and eiiective lubrication and the lower end of the opening C entirely closed,

system for such a motor. A further object is to or an oil tight packing 16 may be provided to sur- 50 provide an improved construction of motor castround a shaft extension 17 projecting below the ing and armature mounting. A still further obbottom of the casting A. A filling plug 18 is project is to provide a vertical-shaft motor which vided adjacent thetop of the oil reservoir. A is especially suitable for use in installations in drain plug (not shown) may be provided in the which the upper portion is subjected to comparabottom thereof, if desired. 5 tively high temperatures. In" operation, oil is fed through the wick 11 I attain the foregoing and other and more limagainst the shaft F by capillary attraction. This ited objects in and through the construction herewill fill the small space 19 between the shaft and inaiter described and illustrated in the accomthe portion D. The helical groove 12 will feed oil panying drawing in which Fig. l is a broken-away pw ly to the pp in H, I, w l l w ll sectional view of the motor, and Fig. 2 is a detail, flow by v ty to the lower bearing means G. bottom plan view of one of the bearing members. I ha found t the y Short ance from Referring no to the accomp n ing dr i the oil level to the point at which the wick disthe characterAindicates generally the main cast- Ch rg results in a sure and ample supp of 20 ing which comprises a bottom portion defining clean 011 being delivered to the shaft. The helical an oil reservoir B and provided with a central roove is then relied upon to elevate oil to the opening C. Extending upwardly from the botpp bearing meansy p oy the Combi- 77 tom portion of the casting are substantially oonnation of the short lift" wick With the helical centric, generally cylindrical portions D and E. groove I am able to provid a sa isf y pp y 25 A shaft F extends through the opening C and is of Oil to the pp r b a when the motor is 80 journaled thereinln bearingsG and H. The shaft running, while allowing nearly all of it to drain F has fixed thereto near the upper end a, bearing down into the Oil reservoir when the motor iS member I above which is secured an armature Stopped- 11108565 Where the pp po t on O the carrying member K, M t d o th member motor is subjected to rather high temperatures 80 K, substantially entirely below the top of the there is often atendency to burning or deteriora- 35 projection D, is an armature L Carried by the tion Of the Oil in that portion. By the use Of the outer cylindrical portion E is a field M. A cover short lift wick, which supplies more oil than N is secured to the upper portion of the m i would a wick extending all the way from the oil casting A and is spaced a considerable distance reservoir to the upper hearing, p d w t the 86 above the armature and field and uppermost beargroove 12 and the return I m able to p ov de a 90 ings. The upper end of the shaft F may be modisufiiciently large flow of oil, prevent the same oil tied in any desirable manner for cooperation with from remaining the l n at h relatively hot mechanism t be driven upper portion of the motor, and avoid deteriora- Extendmg from the on reservoir B through an tion of oil in the wick. For the same reason I place 40 opening 10 in the casting A is a wick 11 which tert 011 resflrvolr at the bottom of the motor which minutes adjacent the shaft Extending up is most distant from the heated upper portion. 'wardly from the wick 11 is a helical groove 12 The cover Spaced from the upper portion or formed in d extending around the shaft F and the casting A, afiords some protection from the adapted to feed Oil delivered from the wick high temperatures. By connecting the armature with the shaft at a point above the upper bear- Warm? to the upper bearmg member? H ings, I also secure the advantage of being able to nas as the groove 12 merely dehvers 011 at position the bearings more favorably than I could the intersectlfm Of the the plane Of do otherwise In some cases I prefer to provide contact 0! the members H and I, I have found it a plurality of wicks instead of one as shown. desirable to provide in the bottom face of the While I have shown and described an illustramember I a spiral groove 13 feeding Oil tive embodiment of my invention, I wish it un- Wafdly whereby to lubricate the entire C0ntact derstood that changes can be made without deing area of the members H and I. Communicatparting from the spirit of my invention'and that ing with the contact area of the members H and I am limited only in accordance with the scope of 55 I is an oil return opening consisting of a part 14 the appended claims and the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A body having an opening therethrough provided with hearing means, a shaft journaled in said bearing means, an oil reservoir associated with said body, a wick extending from said oil reservoir to a point adjacent said shaft, said shaft being provided with a helical groove extending upwardly from said wick for carrying oil, delivered by said wick, upwardly to said bearing means.

2. A body having an opening therethrough provided with bearing means, a shaft rotatable in said bearing means, an oil reservoir formed in said body, a wick extending from said oil reservoir to a point adjacent said shaft and slightly above the oil level in said reservoir, said shaft being provided with a helical groove extending upward- 15! from said wick to a bearing whereby to lubricate the latter.

3. In a device of the class described, a body provided with an opening and spaced bearing means positioned one above the other, a shaft journaled in said bearing means in said opening, an oil reservoir, wick means extending from said reservoir to a point adjacent said shaftand slightly above the oil level in said reservoir, said shaft having a helical groove extending from said wick to the uppermost of said bearings, and means for draining surplus oil from said bearing means to said reservoir.

4. In a device of the class described, a casting,

an oil reservoir formed in said casting, said casting having a pair of substantially concentric, generally cylindrical, upwardly extendingrprojec-= tions, a lower bearing formed in said casting, an upper bearing having radial and thrust portions carried by the inner of said projections,.a shaft journaled in said bearings, and a'wick extending from said oil reservoir through a portion of said casting to a point adjacent said shaft and a short distance above said reservoir, said shaft being provided with a helical groove extending from said wick to the top of said upper bearing whereby oil delivered through said wick will be carried upwardly to said upper bearing, and means comprising a spiral groove formed in a thrust face of said upper bearing for draining surplus oil therefrom to said reservoir.

ALLEN D. WALTER. 

